Category: Cooking and Food

Olive Leaf Tea: A Mediterranean Wellness Secret

Leave a comment
For centuries, the Mediterranean lifestyle has been celebrated for its focus on natural, plant-based remedies, and one of its best-kept secrets is olive leaf tea. Made from the leaves of olive trees, Pasolivo Lavender Chamomile Olive Leaf Tea is brimming with powerful antioxidants and other natural compounds that support various aspects of health. Let’s dive into the many benefits of olive leaf tea, and why you should consider adding it to your wellness routine. The Health Benefits of Olive Leaf Tea A Natural Antioxidant Powerhouse: Olive leaves contain polyphenols, potent antioxidants that help neutralize free radicals in the body. One of the most notable polyphenols in olive leaf tea is oleuropein, a compound renowned for its anti-inflammatory and antioxidant effects. Drinking olive leaf tea can help protect your body against oxidative stress, linked to aging and various chronic diseases. Supports Heart Health: Heart health is one of the most significant areas where olive leaf tea shines. Oleuropein and other compounds in olive leaves have been shown to support healthy blood pressure and cholesterol levels. Regular consumption of olive leaf tea...

Continue reading →

The Ultimate Guide to the Olive Oil Martini: How to Fat Wash Gin, the Best Martini Olives & More

Leave a comment
Pasolivo Olive Oil Fat Washed Gin Martini
There’s something undeniably chic about a martini. From the clean and crisp flavor to the iconic olive garnish, it’s easy to see why this cocktail has become a mainstay in the world of mixology. Are you a martini lover looking for a way to take your favorite drink to a whole new level of sophistication? Then allow us to introduce you to your new obsession: the olive oil martini.  Welcome to your ultimate guide to the olive oil martini (or “olive oil fat-washed martini”). We’ll dive into everything you need to know about this trendy twist on the classic: How to make an olive oil martini, how you can fat wash gin or vodka at home, which foods to pair your cocktail with, and much more. Read on for all the details.  What Is an Olive Oil Martini? An olive oil martini is a lot like a traditional martini, but with one big difference: Instead of standard gin, it’s made with olive oil fat-washed gin (or vodka, for those who prefer vodka martinis). Fat washing with olive oil gives the...

Continue reading →

The Serotonin Salad: Nourish Your Mental Wellness

Leave a comment
Feel-Good Fuel About 90% of our serotonin is created in our stomach and intestines. It’s synthesized through the essential amino acid tryptophan which is sourced from our diet. It’s commonly found in chicken, eggs, dairy, fish, peanuts, pumpkin and sesame seeds, turkey, and soy products. Consuming high levels of tryptophan and other choice vitamins is a great way to improve mood stability and experience more joy. Talk about feel-good food! Based on these principles, I created The Serotonin Salad. It features ingredients high in tryptophan and a few other vitamins, minerals, and other compounds known to improve mental health. Let’s go over each featured ingredient and its effect on the brain. But First: What is Serotonin? Serotonin, A.K.A “the happy hormone,” is a neurotransmitter that sends messages between your nerve cells. It acts as a natural mood stabilizer. In addition to managing our emotional state, serotonin also plays a role in our ability to learn, form memories, control bowel movements, heal wounds, and regulate sleep and body temperature. Sourcing B-12 and Folic Acid B-12 and folic acid are essential vitamins...

Continue reading →

Baking with Olive Oil: Your Essential Guide

Leave a comment
Baking with olive oil can be tricky. Let’s go over the ground rules. Baking is temperamental and precise. I don’t enjoy the process; I find it tedious and restrictive. So many rules, less opportunity for customization. I know there are a lot of chefs/home cooks that would agree with me on that one! Customizing baking recipes is always a gamble– one small adjustment and the entire recipe is thrown off. It’s food science; One must understand the ingredients, their properties, and the role they play in the recipe before swapping out this for that. Let’s talk baking with olive oil! Here are the fundamentals: You can almost always swap oil for oil. Extra virgin olive oil is a fantastic heart-healthy alternative to vegetable or seed oil. Swapping EVOO for another oil will have no effect on the final texture of whatever dish you’re creating UNLESS the oil you intend to replace is Crisco or lard. Since they’re saturated fats and solid at room temperature, it’s not a good swap. Olive oil will perform differently due to density. Only use EVOO...

Continue reading →

Valentine Date Night Guide

Leave a comment
  How to Host a Romantic Italian-Style Dinner The Pasolivo Valentine Date Night Guide There's no better to way to show affection than by cooking a meal for that special someone. Food is love, after all. Show your Valentine how much you care by putting together a beautifully romantic, thoughtful meal they'll never forget with a little bit of help from Pasolivo. Follow along to learn the ins and outs of hosting a formal, romantic dinner for your S.O. You'll be a pro by the end of this article!   Setting the scene Ambiance is everything. Creating the mood is the first and arguably most important part of hosting a dinner for your valentine. Here's some tips for establishing the Italian dinner party vibe:  No overhead lighting– stick to candles and lamps. You want to create a soft, ambient glow. These mini candles fit perfectly on the dinner table, and add a layer of warmth to the scene. Pull your best table cloth out of the linen closet– or how about one of these Parisian table runners as featured above? These are...

Continue reading →

Cooking with Your Child at Every Age

Leave a comment
How old is old enough to let that special child in your life help you in the kitchen? The answer might surprise you. A couple weeks ago, we published an article on 5 habits that cultivate a love of cooking and good food in your children. The response to the article was so encouraging that we've decided to write some more family-focused pieces. It doesn't matter if the children in your life are your children, your grandchildren, nieces and nephews, or some other relational dynamic. Giving those young spirits experiences in the kitchen early and often has been shown to have a direct impact on their views of healthy food and their ability to navigate around a kitchen well into adulthood. Kids are very capable helpers in the kitchen, and it is that shared time learning about preparing food that they get their first tastes of feeling grown-up and confident in their self-sufficiency. Here is a list of widely regarded age-appropriate kitchen responsibilities, broken up in general stages. These are purposefully broad because every child is different, and it's important to take...

Continue reading →

5 Habits to Help Your Kids Love to Cook

Leave a comment
Studies show that children who help with cooking and meal preparation go on to lead healthier lives and consume more fruits and vegetables than kids who do not. Cooking with your children is a romantic ideal conjuring up images of smiling children with their hands in a pristine bowl of baking dough. In reality, it's often kitchen floors covered in unrecognizable goo, hand mixer mishaps, and high blood pressure. Here are a 5 cooking habits that will make the culinary experiences with your child more enjoyable with effects that ripple long after the memory fades. Engage with Your Child at the Grocery Store The earliest and often the best places to start a love of cooking and good food is at the grocery store. Even one way conversations about what makes one bundle of tomatoes more desirable than another, how delicious properly cooked asparagus is, or having them help to decide whether to have chicken or pork on Wednesday all sets the stage for them making the same decisions for themselves later in life. (more…)